Former assistant Moosbrugger takes over as Weston girls volleyball head coach

By TOM EVANSHour Staff Writer

Published 6:00 pm, Monday, March 18, 2013

WESTON -- Claiming her predecessor "left big shoes to fill," two-year assistant Mackenzie Moosbrugger was recently hired to take over as head coach of the Weston High School girls volleyball program.

Moosbrugger replaces Jamie Charles, who stepped down in January to spend more time with her family and focus on teaching.

Charles left an impressive legacy -- an average of better than 13 wins a season over her 10-year stint that included 10 consecutive South West Conference tournament appearances, and eight state playoff berths in those 10 seasons -- and Moosbrugger saw the last two years up close.

"I will bring enthusiasm, and I want to focus on the mental part of the sport," Moosbrugger said. "Volleyball is up there with any sports where team is the most important. We will be bringing that sense of team through to the girls."

Originally from Lake George, N.Y., and now living in Fairfield, Moosbrugger earned her undergraduate and master's degrees from the State University of New York at Oswego. She joined the Weston High School faculty for the 2009-10 academic year in the field of technology education.

"I want to coach for the love of the sport," Moosbrugger said. "I played volleyball in high school, and I played rugby in college. Volleyball is a fast-paced sport, and it's a sport I always loved to coach. I became an assistant (at Weston), and when Jamie stepped down, I took that natural next step to coaching."

Athletic director Mark Berkowitz said Moosbrugger was the strongest of four candidates who interviewed for the position, out of several more who applied for the job.

"We ended up with two strong candidates," Berkowitz said. "We hired Mackenzie as the head coach, then introduced Mackenzie to the other (finalist) as the (junior varsity) coach."

Berkowitz likes how his new hire interacts with the athletes.

"Mackenzie understands high school students," Berkowitz said. "She knows how to talk to them, how to relate to them, and she knows how to work with them. I'm excited to work with Mackenzie and help her develop her own success."

Some new coaches might be intimidated taking over a program with the success Weston has had over the past decade, but Berkowitz is not worried about Moosbrugger finding her way with the Trojans.

"I'm very confident in Mackenzie's ability to continue to grow the volleyball program and build upon what Jamie brought to the program," Berkowitz said. "Mackenzie is a special individual, and I know she will help those girls become better volleyball players and better people under her guidance."

Whether her first batch of players are year-round volleyball players, or if they play another sport or two makes no difference to the incoming head coach.

"A lot of our girls play volleyball in the offseason, and some play other sports, which I encourage," Moosbrugger said. "Some play volleyball all year, and go to camps, and I give all the girls summer workouts. If they play a spring sport or choose volleyball training, it doesn't matter to me. As long as they are active."

There will certainly be new faces on the court for the Trojans this fall, as nine senior players will graduate.

"Every season is a clean slate, and every year we have to overcome obstacles," Moosbrugger said. "We're capable of becoming a successful unit. Currently we will have four who will be seniors, and seven who will be juniors. They all have experience on either the varsity or JV last year."

Moosbrugger knows there is no substitute for hard work, and that ethic will be the center piece for the 2013 squad.

"My strong point is getting the girls to leave everything they have on the court," Moosbrugger said. "I want them to think about what they can do to give everything when they previously didn't think they could. I want them to develop confidence in themselves, and know that if they work hard, day-in and day-out, things will work out well."

With the season still six months away, Moosbrugger can't wait to put up the nets.

"I am very excited to get started," Moosbrugger said. "I am fortunate to have worked under Jamie, and I am looking forward to this challenge."